Li Xin integrated into the life of the Night Patrol faster than imagined. This wasn't his own thought; rather, all Night Patrol members felt this way, as if this kid was born for this job.
Li Xin's current task is skill training, such as firearms, combat, etc., and knowledge training on some mysterious incidents that Night Patrol regularly encounters and ways to handle them, mainly focusing on teamwork and collaboration, not advocating personal heroism.
The combat style of the Night Patrol is to gang up if possible, rather than individual combat.
There's also a part about the rules and responsibilities of the Night Patrol. When Governor Luthor founded the Night Patrol back in the day, he gave them great powers and provided many opportunities for civilians while also establishing strict regulations.
"Over a hundred rules, big and small, read up on them when you have time," Kathy said. "The main ones are the eight commandments; these can't be violated, or no one can save you."
Li Xin nodded. The Night Patrol indeed has many rules, after all, they have great power. Handling supernatural events often causes some trouble, and if someone takes advantage of the situation to cause issues, it can be very troublesome. Power and authority must be controlled.
"Ah Xin, do you have a girlfriend yet? Do you want me to introduce you to someone? Sister knows many pretty girls!" Kathy asked gossipily; it's rare for the Night Patrol to have a newcomer who isn't unattractive.
Today, the housekeeper wore small cowboy boots, a goose-yellow three-quarter-sleeve shirt with a beautiful collar, and her exquisite edges and diamond necklace accentuated her neck, giving it a white and elegant appearance, especially with that innocent yet mature charm she emanated.
"Sister Kathy, is the captain here?"
"Ah, him, yes, he's around, he's been staring at documents until he's almost dazed," Kathy said, looking a bit pained.
"The boss works hard, we should care more, we're all rough fellows here; only Sister Kathy is the most attentive," Li Xin smiled.
It was only then that Kathy realized Li Xin was actually good at gathering information. After treating Mo Feng and others to a meal and drinks, they willingly spilled the gossip without even being asked.
Kathy has been infatuated with the captain for quite some time, and her conditions are exceptionally good, including her family background. It was the captain who saved her from a disaster years ago, and despite her family's opposition, she joined the Night Patrol when she grew up. Anyone with eyes can see through it, but the captain remains unmoved like an iron tree.
"Ah Xin, how old are you, daring to tease me, talking about your own matters!" Kathy immediately put her hands on her hips to cover her inner panic.
"Yeah, I'm still young, and doing work like this, with no certainty for tomorrow, I don't dare waste others' time." Li Xin waved his hand hastily, "Sister Kathy, you're busy; I'll take the manual with me, I have training today."
Saying this, he ran off in a flash. Besides firearms, Li Xin was interested in spiritual abilities and their history. The Night Patrol also offers professional introductions on this topic, but after listening for a while, there was some disappointment. The Night Patrol's focus on spiritual abilities is superficial, not caring about their origins or deeper usage, only emphasizing their application.
Spiritual abilities can enhance the body, action abilities, and other basic skills, but to truly achieve combat power, training is also necessary. Especially when facing various mysterious creatures, sufficient knowledge is required to be lethal.
Mutated creatures that generate spiritual abilities, some of them can interact with humans and pose no threat, and some nobles even like to keep them as pets. If their ambition grows, they may hunt humans, and such cases must be dealt with promptly. Their weak points are basically the same as before mutation, but special materials are required to kill them.
"It's important to be clear on this point. A normal knife won't be fatal even if it stabs in, and it's easy to be counterattacked. The weapon must be ours from the Night Patrol, which is crafted with Mithril. If you don't have it, you must stay extremely alert. Even decapitation isn't necessary. The death of a mutated creature will show signs of spiritual energy dispersion; if it doesn't appear, it's not dead," Heisenberg said. He wasn't part of the Night Patrol but was from the Canon Law School, also responsible for training new recruits from the Night Patrol on some basic knowledge.
"The tricky ones are those contaminated by Abyssal Power, possessing intelligence, and extraordinary combat power, and they can also evolve continuously by devouring. The common ones are the Lickers. They feed on flesh and blood; the Awakened are a great nourishment for them. Once they devour an Awakened, they evolve abilities like hunting capabilities and even become faster. You must eliminate the Abyssal Worms parasitic in them, or they'll never die. Also, if a worm finds the body too badly damaged or a better host available, it'll figure out a way to transfer," Heisenberg continued.
"Teacher, what is the abyss? How do worms come out of the abyss? How long can they survive in the Dao Yuan Continent, or do they necessarily need to parasitize? I'm very curious about the circumstances under which they appear—is it summoning, or something else?" Li Xin asked.
Heisenberg paused for a moment. Generally, Night Patrol members aren't too interested in his lectures, so he tends to speak more directly.
Too much occult knowledge is actually useless for the Night Patrol. The Church, Canon Law School, Night Patrol, and Knight Order can all deal with mysterious incidents. Their duties overlap and differ, and sometimes they collaborate. The Night Patrol has more freedom and mobility but also tends to dislike rules.
Seeing the seriousness on Li Xin's face, Heisenberg drew three lines on the blackboard, writing Dao Yuan Continent at the top, Spirit Realm in the middle, and Abyss at the bottom.
"At the top is the Dao Yuan Continent where we reside, also known as the Real World. The Abyss and Spirit Realm aren't in a visual sense of up and down, just for easier understanding. The space where deities reside is the Spirit Realm, and the Abyss is the place where divine destruction powers are suppressed. It is said that when the Abyss descends, doomsday arrives."
The foundation of the Church revolves around the Abyss and Spirit Realm. No one can provide true answers. The explanations and understandings currently circulating come from each respective Church. While interpretations of deities differ, perceptions of the Abyss are quite similar.
"What do the Spirit Realm and Abyss look like?"
Heisenberg smiled faintly. "Indescribable. I would call it a malleable world or a real-world imagination. One understands it upon stepping in, and any amount of description is futile, but note, any entry there marks a cost."
Seeing how seriously Li Xin was listening, Heisenberg was inspired as well. "You just asked where the worms come from. They infiltrate through the Spirit Realm from the Abyss. Worms that land by chance are mostly likely to die naturally. They can't survive long on the Dao Yuan Continent and need a container for sustenance; this container is a creature, with humans having a relatively high survival rate."
Li Xin listened, thinking how similar these worms were to Divine Relics, only simpler and more direct, all related to Extraordinary Power, needing humans as vessels. Once contained, they impart abilities and power and affect personality. However, unlike Divine Relics, worms turn into monsters—something disgusting, as the Licker's grotesque appearance indeed makes one lose appetite.
"Are worms controllable?" Li Xin asked casually.
Heisenberg gave Li Xin a strange look, then smiled faintly. "Today's lesson ends here. Anyone with questions can stay, and I'll work overtime."
The others who were dozing off scattered quickly, while Li Xin stayed. Heisenberg looked at Li Xin, "You shouldn't have joined the Night Patrol; you should have entered the Canon Law School."
"Being anywhere doesn't hinder the thirst for knowledge."
"Knowledge is the most expensive luxury on the Dao Yuan Continent." Heisenberg stroked his beard, a hint of pride on his face.
"Ah, Professor Heisenberg, I suddenly remembered I have work and training. Let's chat for free next time," Li Xin said with a smile.
"Ahem, knowledge is priceless, so I won't charge," Heisenberg quickly added. For someone devoted to academia, nothing is worse than stopping when reaching a point of interest. Flaunting or not doesn't matter as much.
Moreover, he wanted to gather some intelligence from the Night Patrol. Usually, veteran Night Patrollers are very cunning, alert, and hard to deal with.
This young man, however, might be a chance, and I've heard he was involved in the Licker incident, which piqued my curiosity. "We can exchange."